Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Marley (2012)

Marley is a biographical documentary directed by Scottish filmmaker Kevin MacDonald. It premiered in the Berlinale Special section of the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival.

Following up last year's experimental Ridley Scott produced Life in a Day, MacDonald returns with a more traditional documentary. Despite being the producers' third choice (both Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme were previously attached to the film), he manages to give us a remarkably full and detailed portrait of the Jamaican legend, with a wonderful sense of storytelling and pacing that will keep even casual fans of Bob Marley engaged through the entire two and a half hour running time.

Covering Marley's life from his birth in the tiny village of Nine Mile, his early beginnings growing up in Trenchtown, his rise to stardom, all the way to his death in 1981, the film includes interviews with a well rounded assortment of friends, former band-mates, and family members, thankfully lacking any filler speculation from so-called experts. All mixed in with an incredible amount of archival clips and photos, old and new, fluidly edited by Dan Glendenning, as well as some rare and previously unheard tracks.

MacDonald strikes a decent balance between Marley's music and his personal life. There's maybe not as much concert footage as I would have liked to see, but there are plenty of interesting anecdotes and candid moments that almost make up for it. One powerful emotional moment that stands out for me is the filmed reaction of his half sister, and another of a distant family member as they listen to one of Bob's songs.

It's a thorough examination and a compelling tribute to a cultural icon. A must see for fans of Marley, though perhaps a little bit overlong for those who aren't. Still, I think MacDonald does a good job here to try and please all potential viewers.

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